As we approach the beginning of the 21st century, the United States remains the world’s most powerful force for peace, prosperity and the universal values of democracy and freedom. Our nation’s challenge— and our responsibility—is to sustain that role by harnessing the forces of global integration for the benefit of our own people and people around the world.
These forces of integration offer us an unprecedented opportunity to build new bonds among individuals and nations, to tap the world’s vast human potential in support of shared aspirations, and to create a brighter future for our children. But they also present new, complex challenges. The same forces that bring us closer increase our interdependence, and make us more vulnerable to forces like extreme nationalism, terrorism, crime, environmental damage and the complex flows of trade and investment that know no borders.
To seize these opportunities, and move against the threats of this new global era, we are pursuing a forward-looking national security strategy attuned to the realities of our new era. This report, submitted in accordance with Section 603 of the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Department Reorganization Act of 1986, sets forth that strategy. Its three core objectives are:
· To enhance our security.
· To bolster America’s economic prosperity.
· To promote democracy abroad.
Over the past five years, we have been putting this strategy in place through a network of institutions and arrangements with distinct missions, but a common purpose—to secure and strengthen the gains of democracy and free markets while turning back their enemies. Through this web of institutions and arrangements, the United States and its partners in the international community are laying a foundation for security and prosperity in the 21st century.Pages:12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334